Welcome aboard, Don! I've found that if you ask a question you'll generally get several answers very quickly. Of course, then you have to sort them out, but usually there's some pretty useful stuff.Allied 39 - nice boat you have there! How long have you owned her and where do you sail?

Currently in Annapolis, MD, getting the boat ready to go South after election day. (If the @#$ hurricanes ever stop!!) 'Hope to stay out a year or so and go where the warm wind blows and a singlehander can have some fun.

This boat has owned me since '84. In those years, just about everything that could be replaced has been, except the hull.

I've sailed around New England, the Ches., 3 Bermuda trips and some VI charters. I'm looking forward to doing some longer range stuff.

Hard to imagine tiring of live-aboard in the Bahamas or any area there-of. I have compassion for all that have to deal with the Himacanes in your area, but not knowing the actual hardship of it, I envy you! I am a west coast sailor only. Live-a-board here is boring!!! Unless you really like Mexican amenities. I myself would love to sail the eastern seaboard & the Bahamas.

I did live aboard for 3 years, then became landbound again.
Now, I'm trying to get out there again for more than weekends and vacations. But first I have to sell my house, two cars and entirely too much 'stuff'.

I know nobodie asked me but here is my 2 cents. I live abord here in san francisco, and one of the things that gets me trough the day is knowing I get to retire to my peaceful home at night. I like the idea of limited storage, that makes me buy less crap that I didnt need in the first place. I dont have to listen to sirens and loud car stereos. fresh air (well almost) and the rocking of the boat gives me the sleep i need. Yes sometimes it gets cramped and frustrating ( like having to get ice for the cooler each night) but the good definetly outweighs the bad.
again just my view. but my opinion is, Why would anyone not live on a boat.
Cheers
Dustin

__________________
Few who come to the island leave them; They grow grey where they alighted; The palm shades and the trade wind fans them till they die
-R L Stevenson

Hi Jim Lee, just bought a boat that comes with a live-aboard slip at Oyster Cove. Quite windy there - any tips you can give me about this marina. I don't intend to live there right now but I I will move aboard eventually.
Jan

#1 TIP : Three Blade Max prop, if your a sailboat that is. Why is this? Because if you can't reverse, under control, againsed 30kn. You won't sail all summer. This is the reason my boat has a Max prop on it. 'Cause it works in reverse just the same as forward. Without it, I would have been stuck.

When its howling, and it does all summer, the trick is to back out of your slip, let your nose blow down-wind then WOT backards up the fairway to the sea wall. Once you get to the sea wall, it will shield you so you can turn nose to weather and run out the channel.

I've seen it literly raining boats there as people loose control and go spinning tward the parking lot (And sometime rocks) Ugly ugly! But you gets used to it. And after a year or so you get better at it. And docking remains a lot easier everywere else for the rest of your sailing life, believe me! :-)

They used to have Tuesday night races at Oyster Cove. They were really laid back beer can kinda' races. No one scored them or anything but a big portion of the live aboards would race their homes every week. Real popular event. We had all sorts of fun doin' that. But, that ment the every week we -had- to get the boat out of the slip without crashing it. It was tough!

Living in Oyster Cove you will get really good at tying off your halyards so they don't slap. (Or they will drive you and everyone around you insane) If you have a tiller boat, you will learn the subtile art of tiller tiedown as well or the banging will keep you up at night.

Another thing you learn at Oyster Cove is how to dock your boat like a fighter jet doing a carrier landing. Bring it in fast, aim for the slip and at the last second, 1/2 way into the slip, slam it in reverse wide open to stop. You don't dare ever slow down in the marina 'cause if you do, you might stall and loose control of the boat. If that ever happens in the fairway, your in really -really- deep doo. At least thats the way I always did it. Dock skids on -every- landing.

The harbor master Dick Timothy was a riot. "The Burgermiester". He was there last year, maybe he's still there? If so, ask him about the kid and the Magnifying glass.. {Chuckle}

Had a lot of good times there. First child was born while living in Oyster Cove. One time Dick, The Harbormaster, brought a Keg out to the dock and we had a impromptu(sp?) party. The only non-windy hot day of that summer ('92). About 40% of the liveabords ended up jumping in the marina and swimming about. My wife was one of them and I've teased her about it for over ten years. About two weeks ago I jumped into Grand Marina Harbor 'cause it was just so hot out. I guess I can't tease her anymore. Sigh..

Gate 3? Slip? I don't remember any more. Found the key to the gate just this afternoon in the basement...

yep Im in oyster cove, And good ole dick is still the harbormaster.
oh and the wind, it is always blowing, but the neiborhood is great I used to be on gate 3 now I moved over to gate 1. Better parking. The desciption of fighting the wind is very accuate. usally i just hand push the boat around and get it sideways to the finger, hop in and trow her in forward. and its always a challenge comming back in.
cheers.
Dustin

__________________
Few who come to the island leave them; They grow grey where they alighted; The palm shades and the trade wind fans them till they die
-R L Stevenson

Harryrezz
I bought a 1991 Beneteau 35s5 with minimal hours on the engine and very few sailing time as well. The boat was mainly used as a live-aboard. I'm in the process of cleaning it inside-out.
Great tip Dustin, to push it to the end of the finger and then hopping in!
Jan